


The Ball Is In Your Court (What will you do now?)

by allisdaebaek



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, BAEKCHEN PROMO, CHANSOO PROMO, EDITED BECAUSE IT WAS ORIGINALLY 3.9k words but I'm this close to 4k so HOEHOEHOE, EXO PROMO, Fluff, HWANG CHIYEUL PROMO, M/M, NEVER ENDING STORY PROMO, SEHUN PROMO, because BAEKCHEN BESTFRIENDS TO LOVERS HITS ME IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES, bestfriends to lovers, forgive me for being an ugly, i don't know what to do with myself sometimes, idk I'm just deprived
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-19 00:44:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9410018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allisdaebaek/pseuds/allisdaebaek
Summary: But for Jongdae's better knowledge, there are more reasons than five, as to why he is attracted to a Byun Baekhyun.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Im a baekchen deprived noob who is a side chansoo trash and I loved Hwang Chiyeul x Chen collab so forgive me. IF ANY CORRECTIONS LMK IM TOO LAZY AND U KNOW ME AND MY LOVE FOR WRITING ASS O' CLOCK IN THE MORNING

***

 

Jongdae thinks Baekhyun is beautiful in every aspect.

He thinks Baekhyun is beautiful in everything that he does. 

Like now, while he's watching the other guy from across him.

 

He's beautiful in everything he does, _one_ , because you see his passion in whatever it is given for him to do.

 

Like how he gets so immersed in reading the script he's been nervously reading through for the past hour from across the couch. 

 

 _Two_ , while he hums and closes his eyes to put breaks in between memorising his script and practising them, tapping at the script with the pen in his hand.

 _Three_ , when he looks up, and smiles to see Jongdae looking at him. 

 _Four_ , when he smirks at Jongdae getting flustered, causing the latter to accidentally clank his mug of coffee against his teeth.

 _Five_ , when they end up laughing together at all the ruckus, he thinks Baekhyun is beautiful.

 

But for Jongdae's better knowledge, there are more reasons than five, as to why he is attracted to a Byun Baekhyun.

 

 _"You think I didn't notice you staring at me, you idiot."_ Baekhyun says this in a tone anything but harsh.

 _"Perhaps, you did."_ Jongdae says smiling lightly at Baekhyun's statement.

 _"I bet you didn't think about it much, but your coffee is probably cold already."_ Baekhyun says with a wiggle of an eyebrow and the cute tilt of his head.  _God, can he be more beautiful,_  Jongdae asks rhetorically.

 _"It is cold."_ Jongdae says softly in return, sipping at his, indeed, cold coffee with a content smile lingering on his lips.

 

***

 

Everyone knows Jongdae finds Baekhyun wonderful. Everyone knows about his admiration for the other, despite said admiration not being voiced out loud.

Which is why in the middle of a short break after a music show recording, when he gets the chance to treat his dongsaeng out to a cafe (with bubble tea), he is reminded of his notable fondness for Baekhyun.

 _"Anyways, Jongdae-hyung, it's quite painful to see you have this weird gooey look in your eyes every time you look at Baekhyun-hyung, can you like stop it or tone it down."_ Sehun asks while stirring the cup in his hand to mix the pearls with the milk tea, even though he knows that gooey look in Jongdae's eyes will never disappear anytime soon.

 _"I can't help it Sehun-- you know I can't."_ Jongdae says with a sad, self explanatory smile playing along his lip curls, and accompanied by his trademark scrunched nose.

 _"But he probably knows you like him, I doubt otherwise-- but he isn't even doing anything about it. He's just letting you look so engrossed in him-- sometimes, I just want to grab my own hair with all this tension between the two of you."_ Sehun says as he sips his bubble tea with furrowed brows indicating his frustration towards the two.

 _"Sehun, liking someone, doesn't always mean you get to have them. You can just like someone and it's as simple as that."_ Jongdae says while playing with the bracelet Baekhyun gave him for his 21st birthday (which he always wears as an accessory alongside the ring he got from his mom).

 _"Don't you have at least the right to get proper rejection or acceptance in that case."_ Sehun says while worriedly glancing at Jongdae, replied by the silence in the air and the slurping of Sehun's bubble tea.

 _"You finished your drink already right?"_ Sehun confusedly glances down-- to the others confirmation, and successfully dodging the younger man's further interrogation.

 _"It's time to go back now, we can't waste time on things that shouldn't matter."_ Jongdae says briefly with a hint of that sad smile of his that one would rarely witness.

Sehun lets the discussion pass by as he follows Jongdae out of the cafe, tossing the empty cup while he's at it. Even though his thoughts play along concern and assumptions of Jongdae's unsettled fear of rejection with his feelings harboured for Baekhyun.

 

***

 

 _"Until when, exactly?"_ Kyungsoo asks as he tosses a pancake to Baekhyun's plate, who was currently sitting, with his head resting on top of his arms propped up the kitchen island.

 _"Until when is what?"_ Baekhyun asks as he picks up his fork and plays it along the edges of the pancake currently settled on his plate.

 _"Until when are you gonna pretend_ _like you don't know about Jongdae's questionable, perpetual dedication to your ugly ass."_ Kyungsoo says while using his spatula to swat Baekhyun's hand which was still tapping at the pancake with a fork.  _"Don't play with food."_ Follows suit with a grunt from Baekhyun in return.

 _"I don't know what you're talking about."_ Baekhyun says as he looks anywhere but at Kyungsoo's fierce gaze towards him.

 _"Don't call bull Byun, we both know well that Jongdae-yAAAH, PARK CHANYEOL PUT ME DOWN!"_ Chanyeol, silently creeped up behind Kyungsoo who was completely oblivious about it, and lifted the latter like a sack of rice across his shoulder.

 _"What are you two talking about so early in the morning, huh? And go back to your dorm and cook your own breakfast for goodness sake Baekhyun."_ Chanyeol asks as he twists his fingers, playing with Kyungsoo's messy morning hair. Of course, where Kyungsoo is, Chanyeol will always be there for him, literally. In other words, like he's Kyungsoo's shadow or tail.

 _"You know sometimes, I wonder how you manage a relationship with Kyungsoo's n_ _aggy personality, you being beagle-like and all. Now his nagging is wearing on you. Nevertheless, it's still amazing you know."_ Baekhyun watches in amusement as Kyungsoo is put down followed by Chanyeol's _usual_ yelp to Kyungsoo's random pinches along his oversized adidas sweatshirt.

 _"Well for one, I'm very honest and direct about my feelings."_ Chanyeol starts while wiping unnoticed pancake batter off of Kyungsoo's biceps.

 _"Unlike you."_ Kyungsoo says while accusingly pointing his spatula to Baekhyun as he snuggles closer to Chanyeol beside him.

 _"Ah, so you guys were talking about Jongdae?"_ Chanyeol says while rubbing his hand on Kyungsoo's back while he nods in realisation.

 _"And why do you think that?"_ Baekhyun asks while finally taking a bite out of one of his untouched pancakes.

 _"Please, when it's feelings-- and you're involved, it can only be Jongdae."_ Chanyeol says while snatching one pancake from Baekhyun's plate and beams brightly at Kyungsoo when the other just chuckles at the childish action.

 _"We're fine as best friends, and as it is. You don't hear Jongdae asking me anything, which can only mean he's fine with it too, so why are all of you making this such a big deal?"_ Baekhyun says as he grumpily chews the last bit of pancake on his fork.

 _"Are you sure Jongdae is fine as it is? And, if you already know about Jongdae liking you, why are you not doing anything about it? You can't expect him to wait around forever, it's either you accept him or not, as simple as that."_ Kyungsoo says with dismay spelled out alongside the furrowing of his eyebrows.

 _"But I'm not ready to change anything yet, and I'm not even sure how I feel about us in that way, please don't do this to me."_ Baekhyun says as he pouts and whines to Kyungsoo with a Chanyeol tiredly sighing beside him.

 _"Make sure you deal with it soon, you might regret it later, and make sure you convey your feelings well okay, if you reject him don't cling to him like you are doing now, or else he'll never get a_ _love life, with people thinking you're his boyfriend or something."_ Chanyeol says while smoothing out the crease in the middle of Kyungsoo's eyebrows.  
  
Baekhyun denies that voice struggling in him not liking the thought of Jongdae with another person. (who isn't him)

 

***

 

Dealing with his feelings comes sooner than he expected. Dealing with his feelings came in the form of Hwang Chiyeul.   
  
Ever since KBS Gayo Daechukje, wherein Jongdae got a duet with Hwang Chiyeul "Never Ending Story", Jongdae has been having "Never Ending" calls and meet ups with the elder man. They got close and attached, such to Baekhyun's dislike.  
  
It doesn't really help when, in fact, they had monitored said duet during the live performance itself, and  _that ending_ , which was revealed to be an ad-lib, where supposedly (if they stuck to the original plan) they would just sing the last lines to each other then that would be the end of it--but Hwang Chiyeul reached his hand out and  _Jongdae grabbed it._ He remembers Sehun snickering at the scowl Baekhyun  _tried to subtly hide,_ when Minseok whispered 'how cute' and Baekhyun almost wanted to ask straight up 'CUTE--WHERE?!'. He also remembers Junmyeon asking why he looked like he was in such a bad mood after the music festival.  
  
Which brings us back to present, where he's  _casually_ watching tv in the living room of his shared dorm with Minseok (who was now on a vacation and went back to his hometown) and Jongdae. (Not that he's waiting for Jongdae to come home from his 'meet up' the second time this week with Hwang Chiyeul.)

He stays there watching some american movie on replay with korean subtitles although it's one he doesn't know about, as he subconsciously glances at the wall clock near the tv screen that says it's midnight, yet,  _Jongdae_ is anywhere but home and Baekhyun is having a fight with himself whether he's gonna call and disturb the latter in his very long (annoying)  _date._

It's  _exactly 1:17 a.m_ when he hears the sound of jingling keys and the click of the door being unlocked.  
  
If anyone was there, they would say Baekhyun was trying to melt the back view of Jongdae who was currently closing the door and trying to be very discrete in the process trying  not to cause any movement that could  _wake up_ his dorm mate.  
  
Which is why Jongdae jumps in surprise when Baekhyun groggily greets him,  _"How was your date?"_

 _"Oh my god. Byun Baekhyun. You scared the hell out of me! Why are you still awake anyway?"_ Jongdae answers while clutching his chest tightly.

 _"I was watching a movie. And you didn't answer my question, by the way."_ Baekhyun says while pointing his chin towards the amount of paper bags in Jongdae's hands. 

 _"Oh we went to watch a movie, shopping, eat dinner-- Oh! These are for you guys, I saw seductive slices of cakes and thought you guys would want some dessert or snacks to eat! "_ Baekhyun smiles at Jongdae buying it with the thought of him-- them.

" _Chiyeul-hyung ended up paying for it though--because he felt sorry for 'stealing' me a lot these days from you guys."_ Jongdae adds while giggling and typing on his phone.

 _"At least he knows that..."_ Baekhyun says as he catches a glimpse of Chiyeul's name among the words Jongdae was typing.

 _"...You spend so much time with him lately."_ Baekhyun says poutingly as he takes the paper bags out of Jongdae's grasp, and uses his other arm to cling on to Jongdae.  
  
Jongdae just blushes and laughs shyly in response as he lets Baekhyun go, for him to make his way to the living room to grab the remote and turn off the tv with the credits of the forgotten movie scrolling on the screen as he turns it off, while Baekhyun puts the content of the paper bags into the fridge.  
  
Jongdae finishes first and waits for Baekhyun while he sits on the tall chair situated at the kitchen island.  
  
_"Well.... Chiyeul-hyung has been dropping hints that he's interested in me..."_ Jongdae shyly says as he scratches at the back of his neck while blushing and looking down at the floor as if there was something interesting about the white marbled tiles. Meanwhile he fails to notice Baekhyun stoned and alarmed at  _his_ best friend's revelation.  
  
_"He seems like a really kind guy, and he really takes care of me when we're together,"_ Jongdae says while cautiously playing with his fingers, and Baekhyun knows Jongdae does that when he's nervous, when he's sincere, and serious.  _Baekhyun would know. He knew Jongdae before anyone else did. He knew by heart what it meant by the subtle things he did._  
  
_"He says he really likes my voice, my lip curls, my personality, and would like to be involved, he sai--"_ Baekhyun is fuming. He isn't prepared to hear all of this. And a fuming Baekhyun is a careless and insensitive Baekhyun who will make mistakes he will surely regret.  
  
_"Don't be too easy!"_ Baekhyun says as he stands straight and harshly closes the door of the fridge.  
  
_"--Just because someone said a few nice words and just because they act all kind and attracted to you, doesn't mean they actually do like you."_ Jongdae's brows furrow at Baekhyun's choice of words and with the tone of his voice.  
  
_"I know you're concerned Baekhyun, I appreciate that but what if you try and consider the possibility that maybe he really likes me--"_ Jongdae tries to say calmly as he searches Baekhyun's face and all he sees is confusion and irritation.  
  
_"Anyone can act like they like you or act in whatever way that makes butterflies grow in your stomach even if they don't mean it romantically."_ Baekhyun says as he tries to convince Jongdae that Hwang Chiyeul does not like him. (More like Baekhyun tries to convince himself.)  
  
_"Why are you acting like this Baekhyun, why are you so pres--"_ Baekhyun hates being pushed off the edge, and a fuming Baekhyun being pushed off an edge, says things he doesn't mean but he will regret sooner or later. And a fuming Baekhyun being pushed off the edge, he was.  
  
_"NOBODY CAN EVER LIKE YOU."_ And Baekhyun's thought flies back to his conversation with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo from the past two weeks, and he hates thinking of Jongdae giggling and clinging to someone else who isn't him. He imagines Jongdae doing the stuff they do together, just him being replaced by Hwang Chiyeul.   
  
But even as the thoughts come rushing to him now, so does the realisation of what he just said, and the hurt that flashes in Jongdae's face.  
  
He doesn't get to reach for Jongdae when the other storms out of the room. It happens all too soon, and suddenly Baekhyun feels like shit and lost shit in that matter.  
  
He wants to puke. He wants to hit himself.  
  
As Jongdae stormed out tears were falling against his cheek, and Jongdae doesn't cry, moreover compared to Kyungsoo. 

Now Baekhyun knows he's in deep shit when he hears the slam of the door to the dorm.  
  
He looks at the wall clock in the kitchen, it says it's 1:47 a.m.  
  
He's in deep shit and he wants his best friend, who has been openly liking him for some time.

But he's pretty sure by how he acted just now, his best friend won't be liking him for quite some time.

 

***

 

It's after their v-app when Sehun confronts Baekhyun. It's been a week, and ever since, Jongdae has temporarily roomed with Sehun and Vivi.  
  
Minseok didn't make it easy for Baekhyun either after being grilled as to why he comes home without his dearest roommate-- only to hear from Junmyeon that Jongdae asked to temporarily stay with them, and without even asking of further details, they knew that Baekhyun had fucked up Jongdae's feelings. Somehow, everyone knew whatever there was between him and Jongdae, except him, unfortunately. Which is why throughout the week he gets glares and disappointed shaking of heads from the other members whenever he and Jongdae are in the same room.  
  
It's a schedule free day and Baekhyun gets startled by loud banging at his door.  
  
_"Baekhyun-hyung open this fucking door at this instance!"_ He hears the maknae's rage from the other side of the door under his pile of blankets and his doraemon cushion Jongdae gave him during their Japan fan meeting. Their maknae's rage is worse than a fuming Baekhyun or a Chanyeol-deprived Kyungsoo. So Baekhyun, does get his ass to open his door at that instance.  
  
_"Look, you guys need to stop rubbing it into my face that I've fucked up."_ Baekhyun says as opens the door, walks backward and falls to his bed grunting in the process.  
  
_"You know you've fucked up, but what are you going to do about it? Give me that 'Jongdae is fine about it' bullshit you told Chanyeol-hyung and I will whack you with my nonexistent big ass cup of bubble tea."_

 _"That big mouth of a giant who should be thankful he has a boyfriend who does Brazilian jiu jitsu well--"_  
  
"Hyung! Pay attention! Jongdae-hyung is gonna go out with Chiyeul-hyung tonight, and I'm afraid your stupidity will trigger a positive!" Sehun says while snapping some sense into Baekhyun.  
  
_"Wait-- Positive-- What?"_ Baekhyun asks confused at Sehun's PSA.  
  
_"During the past week you've passed by without doing anything about your issues and you're episode of raging, Chiyeul-hyung has been doing a great job at wooing Jongdae-hyung and it seems like he's finally going to get the "dating" status card with Jongdae-hyung tonight!"_ With that, Baekhyun throws his body straight out of the bed making the pile of blankets fall around him.  
  
_"What do I do. Oh God. What if he ends up saying yes. What if he falls grossly in love with that hyung. What if he moves on from me faster than lightning. What if he watches disney movie marathons-- NO. HE CAN'T HAVE DISNEY MARATHONS THAT'S OUR THING--"_ Baekhyun asks panicking and shaking Sehun.  
  
_"Hyung. You need to calm down."_ Sehun starts off (hopefully) with a tone as persuading as he can manage to come up with.

Sure, he was the machine, known to be very naughty and _almost_ at beagle-line level of being a troll. However, it was about damn time that Baekhyun grew some balls. It was also about time for him to pay for all those cups of his favourite bubble tea Jongdae (his secretly favourite hyung) has treated him to. (And for all those times Jongdae tolerated his brattiness)  
  
"The ball is on your court now, what do you  _do?"_ Sehun asks back at Baekhyun.   
  
Baekhyun answers by dashing out of his room in hot pink boxers and his oversized white shirt.   
  
_"I didn't expect him to do something that soon-- but that works too I guess."_ Sehun says to himself with a shrug of his shoulders, at the sight of Baekhyun's retreating figure.

He subtly smiles as he takes a glance at the doraemon cushion on Baekhyun's bed from their Japan fan meet.

 

***

 

Baekhyun barges into Sehun's dorm and screams like a lost child. "KIM JONGDAEEEEEEEEE!"

The subject of his struggles and stress comes running, worried at the sudden voice shouting his name.  
  
_"Baekhyun, what--"_ Baekhyun doesn't let Jongdae finish as he immediately runs to the other and cages him into a bone-crushing hug.  
  
" _Hey-- I'm hurt-- Baek--"_ Jongdae says struggling in Baekhyun's arms.  
  
_"I'm sorry. Please, just listen."_ Baekhyun says as Jongdae's hands drop to his sides and rests his head on Baekhyun's shoulders in defeat.  
  
_"... I didn't mean to shout at you. I was being stupid--"_  
  
_"--You were."_ Jongdae says grunting even though it was muffled by Baekhyun's collarbone as his oversized shirt's sleeves start falling off his shoulders.  
  
_"I know. Which is why I'm saying sorry. I just bursted because I was mad. I didn't want you to end up with Chiyeul-hyung. I didn't want you to end up being gross, watching movies with him, giggling with him, laughing at his flirty jokes, holding hands with him, being happy with him, going home late because of dates with him, talking about him like you're so entranced by him. I'm sorry. I was stupid and jealous-- and I really like you-- more than a best friend."_  
  
_"Don't say bullshit like this Baekhyun."_ Jongdae says pushing Baekhyun away, confusion flooding in Baekhyun's mind.  
  
" _You know I've liked you for so long. I know you did. Yet you never did anything. So why this--now?"_ Jongdae asked while having that serious look again, this time mixed with misunderstandings and confusion.  
  
_"Because I was being in denial. I was afraid about this whole best friends to lovers development thingy. This is all new to me-- I'm afraid that one day if I did end up liking you-- then what if we ended up hurting each other-- then wouldn't that be me losing you forever?"_

_"But I accepted, that I could never stop myself from realising that I wanted you romantically, whether or not Chiyeul-hyung was in the equation. Maybe he was there, to make me realise stuff with more openness, and probably for me to get over myself. Maybe I just thought that I'd always have you, but then you kept hanging  out with this Chiyeul-hyung and suddenly, you're not there. I realised I wanted to be the one you'd be romantically involved with. I realised I wanted you-- us."_

Baekhyun looks Jongdae in the eyes with all sincerity for once, despite his personality of being the mood maker, offering his heart to the guy in front of him, risking all his fears and uncertainties, to get the chance and to be the reason why Jongdae will have those bright smiles with his lip curls going way higher than the stars could ever reach .

 _"Are you sure this is what you want?"_ Jongdae looks up into Baekhyun's eyes and searches for doubts and insecurities.  
  
_"Because this is pretty much all I want and if you're telling me this is a joke-- a dream-- and you're just gonna take this moment away from me I'm gonna fucking ditch you at this very moment."_  Jongdae says in a cute tone-- anything but threatening.  
  
_"Yes, I am Jongdae, so can you like kiss me now then like- dump Chiyeul-hyung after?"_

Jongdae does kiss him, wrapping his arms around his neck, and Baekhyun automatically brings his hands up to Jongdae's waist and  _wow why hasn't he considered this earlier he shouldn't have missed out on amazing kisses like this._  
  
_"For the record, I dumped Chiyeul-hyung yesterday because even if you were an asshole, you were the one I always loved. Dumbass."_  
  
Baekhyun plans of ways more than one to plot Oh Sehun's murder for not telling him that Jongdae already dumped Hwang Chiyeul-- maybe he can do that later after kissing his boyfriend.  
  
_"You have great taste, boyfriend, you made the right choice."_ Baekhyun says with a pat on Jondgae's butt.  
  
_"Unlike your taste in boxers I believe, I mean-- hot pink? Seriously?"_ Jongdae says while giggling due to Baekhyun's touch.  
  
_Click._  
  
" _Commemoration of the end of Byun Baekhyun's stupidity featuring hot pink boxers."_ Chanyeol says as Baekhyun's eyes open wide at the presence of Chanyeol and Kyungsoo behind them, then he rushes and chases after Chanyeol. Kyungsoo approaches Jongdae and gives him a satisfied hug, which the other gladly returns.  
  
_"We heard your boyfriend shouting from downstairs and we thought something happened to you-- turns out it was just him that happened."_ Jongdae replies by heartily hitting at Kyungsoo's shoulder.  
  
_"I will kill you and Sehun together, Park Chanyeol!"_ Baekhyun shouts while running around chasing after Chanyeol in Sehun and Junmyeon's dorm (who was surprisingly still sleeping safe and sound despite all the ruckus).

 

***

 

  
  
  
Jongdae wakes up sleeping with his head on top of Baekhyun's right arm, in Baekhyun's room, around 5 a.m while he hears the other grunting beside him with his phone in his hands.  
  
He kisses the other's cheeks as he peeks at the screen of his boyfriend's phone and giggles to see that Chanyeol has successfully sent the picture of Baekhyun kissing Jongdae in hot pink boxers to their chat room, which is the cause of his boyfriend's annoyance early in the morning.  
  
His phone buzzes and he smiles to read a text from Sehun.  
  
_"Glad you are finally happy hyung! (Thanks for setting me on a date with Chiyeul-hyung-- will keep it a secret! : > )"_  
  
He giggles even more with the dumbfounded look of Baekhyun reading the text beside him.  
  
_"That sneaky little bastard."_  
  
If he meant Chanyeol or Sehun? He has no idea.  
  
He loves Baekhyun anyway. (Despite his hot pink boxers)

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
